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How do you feel about mandatory community service for students?

Are you ok with Obama's plan to force children as young as 11 to do 50 hours of community service every year? Are you worried about the agenda's of the organizations that our children will be forced to work for? Does it bother you that it will most likely be MANDATORY? Are you worried that your child's diploma will be kept from them if they don't comply, even if they are a straight A student? Does it go against child labor laws? Would make more sense to give them EXTRA Credit if they choose to do it, rather than forcing them to? Do you think the parents should get to have a say in what type of community service their children are forced to participate in? Do you think it would make more sense to force Welfare recipients to do community service instead? How do you think this will impact adults who return to school and who also work full time or are raising families? What are your thoughts on this?

I wouldn't permit my CHILD doing any set amount of community service. By the time my kids are old enough to graduate Obama will be out of office. Here in my county welfare recipients have to do community service if they don't work. I just don't think something like that will pass.

Considering most "good" Colleges today look at the # of hours your kid does community service or voulenteer work I think it's a good idea. You will still be able to PICK which community service your kid does. It will teach your kids not to be so self absorbed and make them aware of the hardships others go through.

I'm all for encouraging my child to volunteer within the community. Even at their ages (5,7 and 8) they volunteer. We help with the local food drive each Christmas and they love it and look forward to going. That said, I would not want it forced upon my child. Volunteering and helping the community should be something they enjoy. Not something that is mandatory.

Answer by
Anonymous
at 6:08 PM on Nov. 10, 2008

I already have my children do volunteer type things, but it's not government's place to do this. Teaching your children volunteering and about charity are values we as parents should instill in our children without the probing of govt. It would be very difficult for government to mandate such a thing, it's more likely that people will falsify records of volunteer hours rather than actually doing the work. Plus, many kids already do community type service with extracurricular activities like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Answer by
Anonymous
at 6:09 PM on Nov. 10, 2008

My son already has mandatory community service a few times a a year in school. All the middle school and high school grades do it. They take a few days and clean up the town, help paint fences, pick up trash, help the elderly, etc... It gives them a sense of accomplishment and that they contributed to the town. What's so bad about that? Maybe if more children saw the plight of the homeless in a soup kitchen, or helped in a nursing home by playing cards with senior citizens, they would appreciate everything they have now! A little volunteer work never hurt anyone.

My daughter is a girl scout and very active and they do a ton of community service activities. I dont think volunteering can be mandatory otherwise its not volunteering its something else entirely. Volunteer work is a great thing but it shouldnt be forced.